De Blasio gets policing advice — from ex-cons Forget Ray Kelly, Bill de Blasio is getting his policing advice from the real experts — hardened criminals. A group of 50 ex-cons, junkies and chronic vagrants gathered at a Manhattan “Think Tank” Thursday to describe what they thought the NYPD should be doing to make their lives easier. The felonious forum outlined a clear “get-soft-on-crime” vision. “I like the idea of ending stop and frisk. That was the first thing that was totally there for me,” opined Mikell Green-Grand, a 49-year-old former jailbird who has convictions for grand larceny and identity...

Former vice presidential adviser I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby is among more than 1,000 felons whose voting rights were restored in the past year by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, according to a report to the General Assembly. Libby’s name is listed in the Feb. 23 report on pardons, commutations, reprieves and other forms of clemency the Republican governor is required to submit annually. Without elaboration, the report says Libby’s civil rights were restored Nov. 1, 2012. … In Virginia, only the governor can restore felons’ civil rights. McDonnell has streamlined the process and, consequently, has restored the rights of more than...

Lorenzo had a hard time concealing his nervousness. Standing in front of a large room packed with Boeing employees in late March, the tall, lanky African American gang member described the arc of his life. At 22, he had spent nearly a third of his life incarcerated. Peering out of his round, black-rimmed glasses, he talked about his seven months at Homeboy Industries (the largest gang reentry program in the country), and about how he had moved quickly from the janitorial team to become an assistant in the accounting department. "I used to steal money," he said. "Now I'm counting...

Green jobs training programs provide a great opportunity for the nation's underserved communities to gain valuable work training to help lift them up out of poverty. This includes individuals that have served prison sentences. A Recovery Act-funded green jobs training program in Chicago will help provide jobs for 650 ex-convicts. And the green jobs for cons trend isn't limited to the Midwest; inmates at San Quentin State Prison in California recently were treated to a green jobs fair.

<p>SALISBURY, Md. — The body of a Maryland girl who authorities say was abducted by a registered sex offender was found Friday after thousands of volunteers fanned out to look for her.</p>
<p>Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said that the body of 11-year-old Sarah H. Foxwell was discovered at about 4 p.m. near the Delaware state line. He offered few other details. Thomas J. Leggs Jr., 30, has been charged in her kidnapping.</p>

RICHMOND | Civil rights organizations are asking Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine to sign an executive order restoring the rights of nearly 300,000 felons before he leaves office in January. Virginia and Kentucky are the only two states that permanently strip felons of their civil rights, such as voting, serving on juries or holding public office. In Virginia, the power to restore those rights lies solely with the governor. Mr. Kaine has restored rights to more than 4,000, felons, a greater number than under any other Virginia governor. He and former Gov. Mark Warner, a fellow Democrat, restored more altogether than...

By Roy Beck, Thursday, March 19, 2009, 11:11 AM Today's news reports on Pres. Obama's visit to California include a touching interaction with an ex-convict who has lost his job. But his comments about making sure that illegal aliens keep THEIR jobs illustrates the common occurrence of really smart people at the top of our government who just don't get it. They don't understand that there are a limited number of U.S. jobs and that when you fill those jobs with foreign workers (including illegal ones) American workers lose out. Look at what happened . . . This is from...

AP News item - "Hoping to prevent convicts from being shut out of the work force, some major U.S. cities are eliminating questions from their job applications that ask whether prospective employees have ever been convicted of a crime."When most people fill out a job application, the main concern usually is whether they can make themselves seem impressive enough to get the job. But when you have a criminal record, it's all about getting a fair shake when they know you've made a serious mistake. In many ways, it's a leap of faith. Ask any ex-con looking for work in...

WASHINGTON -- Nearly 12 percent of Army recruits who entered basic training this year needed a special waiver for those with criminal records, a dramatic increase over last year and 2 1/2 times the percentage four years ago, according to new Army statistics obtained by the Globe. With less than three months left in the fiscal year, 11.6 percent of new active-duty and Army Reserve troops in 2007 have received a so-called "moral waiver," up from 7.9 percent in fiscal year 2006, according to figures from the US Army Recruiting Command. In fiscal 2003 and 2004, soldiers granted waivers accounted...

The Metropolitan Police Department has licensed private security officers in the D.C. public school system despite past arrests on charges of assault, cocaine possession and passing counterfeit money, according to a draft report by the D.C. inspector general. "There are contracted security personnel working in [public schools] who may pose a risk to the secure environment of students and staff," the draft document states. "There is no assurance that all contracted school security personnel possess the requisite skills to ensure the safety and security of ... students and faculty," according to the report, which has not yet been finalized. The...

Domestic Hypocrisy: Martha Stewart’s “Apprentice” Lie March 16, 2005 By Debbie Schlussel Amidst the Second Coming of Martha Stewart, the Domestic Diva told another big lie. But not a single member of the pandering media has taken note. Remember the empathetic Martha’s exhortations from prison about poor treatment of convicts when they’re released from prison? Stewart decried the lack of employment for convicts. No-one will hire them, she complained. No-one, including Martha. Even before she was released from Camp Cupcake in Alderson, West Virginia, Stewart’s production partner, reality TV king Mark Burnett, was holding auditions for Martha’s version of “The...

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Two people have been arrested in the murder of an Egyptian Christian family, authorities said Friday. The suspects were to be arraigned Friday afternoon in state Superior Court. The Hudson County prosecutor's office would not release the identities of those arrested or the charges they face until they appear in court.

Authorities have made a major break in the case of the slain Jersey City family, with two suspects scheduled to be arraigned today. Although the Hudson County prosecutor's office isn't releasing the names of the two people or saying what the charges are, local press reports one of them is a former tenant of the building where the Coptic Christian family lived and was found murdered Jan. 14. As WorldNetDaily reported, Hossam Armanious, was found in his home with his wife and two daughters -- Sylvia, 15, and Monica, 8 -- bound and gagged with their throats slashed.

Lance Handy knows what it's like to lose a constitutional right most people take for granted. At 22, the St. Paul man was convicted of a felony drug charge and for the next three years lost his freedom and his right to vote. Once he completed his sentence,that right was returned, because Minnesota is one of 35 states that restore voting privileges to convicted felons. Handy's concern now, nearly a decade later, is for the thousands of other ex-convicts across Minnesota who mistakenly believe they've permanently lost their voting rights because of their crimes.

How to address the recent spate of purple prose regarding the pros and cons of sorting out the Cons? You know the ones I mean; the neocons, the paleocons, even theocons and I suppose, some excons. For those of you outside the virtual Beltway, the 'cons' referred to above would be those who espouse conservativism, and the latest rage among liberals (and some cons themselves) is to pigeonhole its proponents. Yes Virginia, as strange as it may seem, there is Diversity amongst the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. And this seems to both surprise and elate its enemies.

<p>MIAMI — A three-judge federal panel is deliberating a class action lawsuit by former felons who say they deserve to have their voting rights restored now that they have served their time.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, filed against Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and rejected by a district court last year, was brought on behalf of 600,000 ex-cons, including non-violent offenders as well as rapists, murderers and child molesters. The panel from the 11th Circuit Court heard the appeal last week.</p>

[Note from DM: please read the last paragraph first, then read through the whole article.] They had come by the hundreds, eager and excited about the possibilities that had enticed them to this unique event. But the exhilaration did not last long. As I approached the podium and stood before them Wednesday morning, their faces spoke volumes before I ever heard their voices. There was more than disappointment displayed in their facial expressions and other body language. They were utterly disgusted, and many of them were quite angry. I was the guest speaker for this first-of-its-kind job fair, but it...

27 ex-cons worked at DSHS Staffers worked with vulnerable children, adults A background check of state employees who care for vulnerable children and adults revealed 27 people with felony convictions for assault, rape, incest and other crimes. The Department of Social and Health Services reports that 20 of the employees voluntarily quit when their criminal records were discovered. The remaining seven were transferred to non-caregiving jobs, the Seattle Times reported Saturday. ''I'm relieved we went through the process we needed to,'' said Ken Harden, DSHS assistant secretary. ''Our job here is to protect the citizens of this state. We can't...